Agricultural Engineers

Apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems concerned with power and machinery, electrification, structures, soil and water conservation, and processing of agricultural products.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

• Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.

• Meet with clients such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.

• Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems.

• Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.

• Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems.

• Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.

• Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations.

• Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.

• Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.

• Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.

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Job Zone

• Name: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

• Experience: A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

• Education: Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

• Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

• Examples: Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Svp range: (7.0 to < 8.0)

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Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

• Engineering and Technology
  Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

• Design
  Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

• Mechanical
  Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

• Physics
  Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

• Food Production
  Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

• Building and Construction
  Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

• Customer and Personal Service
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

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Skills

Browse Skills

• Mathematics
  Using mathematics to solve problems.

• Reading Comprehension
  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Science
  Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

• Active Learning
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Equipment Selection
  Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

• Writing
  Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Operations Analysis
  Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

• Technology Design
  Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.

• Complex Problem Solving
  Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

• Judgment and Decision Making
  Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities

• Deductive Reasoning
  The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• Oral Comprehension
  The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Written Comprehension
  The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• Problem Sensitivity
  The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

• Inductive Reasoning
  The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

• Oral Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• Originality
  The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

• Category Flexibility
  The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

• Written Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

• Fluency of Ideas
  The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

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Work Activities

Browse Work Activities

• Thinking Creatively
  Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

• Processing Information
  Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

• Analyzing Data or Information
  Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
  Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others
  Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

• Scheduling Work and Activities
  Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
  Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

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Work Context

• Electronic Mail
  How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

• Telephone
  How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

• Face-to-Face Discussions
  How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Freedom to Make Decisions
  How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Structured versus Unstructured Work
  To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

• Work With Work Group or Team
  How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

• Contact With Others
  How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
  How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?

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Interests

Browse Interests

• Realistic
  Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

• Investigative
  Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

• Conventional
  Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

• Enterprising
  Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

• Social
  Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

• Artistic
  Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

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Work Styles

• Integrity
  Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Attention to Detail
  Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

• Analytical Thinking
  Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

• Initiative
  Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

• Dependability
  Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Innovation
  Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

• Adaptability/Flexibility
  Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

• Cooperation
  Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

• Independence
  Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

• Persistence
  Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values

• Ability Utilization
  Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

• Creativity
  Workers on this job try out their own ideas.

• Independence-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

• Achievement-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

• Responsibility
  Workers on this job make decisions on their own.

• Autonomy
  Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

• Achievement
  Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

• Social Status
  Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.

• Activity
  Workers on this job are busy all the time.

• Security
  Workers on this job have steady employment.

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